Satisfied with my results, I settled on the bed, all snug and dry in my robe. Pressing a stack of clean washcloths to my mouth to muffle the laughter, I heard the water turn off. After a few seconds' hesitation, he called from inside the bathroom.

"Hey. Where are all the towels?"

I didn't answer, just laughed some more and smothered my giggles.

The slap of his wet feet on the bare floor sounded as he crossed the bathroom toward the door. He poked his dripping head out of the doorway. "What did you do?" His dark eyebrow arched, hair soaked and plastered to his forehead. A puddle quickly formed around his feet.

I held up one of the tiny washcloths. "You want this, don't you? The hate is swelling in you now."

His mouth quirked. "Something's swelling, but it isn't hate." He pushed the hair away from his forehead and cleared the water that had dripped into his eyes. "Somehow I thought getting away with that was too easy."

I smirked. "You should know me better by now. As for drying off…you could always use your dirty underpants."

"Underpants? What am I, five?" He clenched his jaw and then grinned. "Don't underestimate the power of the dark side, young Jedi."

His dark eyes gleamed as he came closer. Rivulets of water had collected on his tasty abs. It was fascinating to behold.

"And you should know me better, too." He grinned evilly. "I don't one-up. I one-hundred-up." Then he shook his head inches from my face. Droplets of water sprayed everywhere. I let out a screech and pulled back. "You are looking too dry over there, little girl. Let me help you with that."

And he promptly pinned me, dripping wet, to the bed and started rubbing his drenched face in mine. “You’re gonna soak the bed!" I screeched.

"Collateral damage," he replied. He reached down and pulled the belt on my robe, opening it. Then he shifted, sandwiching me between his wet body and the bed.

I squirmed and wiggled, and he only seemed to like it more. He shook his head again. My hand smacked his hard chest. "You're such a boy."

He grinned. "I'm all boy," he said, pressing his erection against me.

"I won’t take this lying down," I muttered.

"You don't have to take it lying down." He laughed. "There's always up against the door or the shower wall. Or you can take it bent over the back of the couch or a dozen other different ways. Whatever way you take it…you are taking it."

She has always sought comfort in good books and the long, involved stories she weaves in her head. Brenna is a city girl with a nature-lover's heart. She therefore finds herself out in green open spaces any chance she can get. She's also a mom, teacher, geek girl, Francophile, unabashed video-game addict & eBook hoarder.

She currently resides on the west coast of the US with her husband, two children, and two adorable golden retriever pups.

Beau Miller thought his happily ever after had returned in the form of the girl with the seafoam eyes. He never expected a second heartbreak at her hand.

When her father, Declan Reede, turns up with murder in his eyes, Beau discovers that the break-up might not have been what it seemed. He must solve the mystery if he’s to find his girl.

How can he and Declan rescue their princess when she’s been taken by someone with beastly intentions? And will they make it in time?

**Due to strong language and sexual content not intended for anyone under the age of 18. Some books in this series contain content, including sexual assault and violence, that may trigger emotional distress in some readers.**

Michelle Irwin has been many things in her life: a hobbit taking a precious item to a fiery mountain; a young child stepping through the back of a wardrobe into another land; the last human stranded not-quite-alone in space three million years in the future; a young girl willing to fight for the love of a vampire; and a time-travelling madman in a box. She achieved all of these feats and many more through her voracious reading habit. Eventually, so much reading had to have an effect and the cast of characters inside her mind took over and spilled out onto the page. Michelle lives in sunny Queensland in the land down under with her surprisingly patient husband and ever-intriguing daughter, carving out precious moments of writing and reading time around her accounts-based day job. A lover of love and overcoming the odds, she primarily writes paranormal and fantasy romance.

The irresistible O'Donnell brothers return in a charming novel from the bestselling author of Off the Hook ("The perfect balance of sweet, sexy, and wonderfully romantic."—Lauren Layne)

Hope Seaver is an up-and-coming TV producer tackling the hardest gig of her career: a reality show set at the Buoys, a scenic fishing destination owned by three handsome, stubborn brothers. Liam and Finn O'Donnell are willing to tolerate her crew for the sake of the business, but Ronan would rather chew off a limb than open up on camera. Somehow Hope has to convince him of her good intentions-and stop herself from swooning every time Ronan walks into the frame.

Ronan knows that he's the reason his brothers gave up their old lives to run the Buoys, and he needs to make it worth their while. So if this out-of-towner with the kind eyes and dazzling smile wants to give them the free publicity they desperately need, Ronan can't say no. He just won't let himself get burned again by a double-dealing woman. But what if Hope's good-girl routine isn't an act? When Ronan lets his guard down long enough to catch a glimpse of the real Hope, he likes what he sees-enough to give love another shot.

Hope shook Finn's and Liam's hands, smiling all the while as she consciously focused on maintaining slow easy breaths. No problem.

You got this.

And then she turned to greet Ronan. From the photos in the Hooked files, she'd cataloged every detail about him—about all of them—so deep in her brain that she could have described him perfectly even with her eyes closed.

From the green eyes, to the single freckle in the middle of his left cheek, to the three lines creasing his forehead. From the way he wore his thick brown hair just short enough that he probably only combed it with his fingers, to the way he stood a good inch or so taller than both of his brothers, and the way he always wore his watch on his right wrist. And, yeah, okay, she'd noticed the way his shoulders and biceps stretched the fabric of his T-shirts. Like it was doing now. Whatever. The point was, none of this was new to her; she knew all of it and more.

And yet not a single one of those details, nor any of the others she'd stored up, prepared her for the real Ronan O'Donnell—for the way his eyes weren't just green but a soft mossy color that looked at her with something more like surprise than the blatant anger she'd expected; for the way his strong handshake, hesitant as it was, somehow infused a bit of strength in her; and for how much actual space he took up.

Sure, she could have chalked up the crowding to the number of people on the dock or to the fact that the low-lying clouds made the whole cove feel socked in, but the fact was, Ronan James O'Donnell had a physical presence that was a little intimidating, a little daunting. Or at least it was right up until he spoke.

"Hope." Ronan nodded slightly as he released her hand. "Good to meet you."

It was silly to think he'd yell all the time, but it wasn't until he spoke her name that she realized that's exactly what she'd expected, exactly what she'd prepared herself for. It had to be why the deep warm timbre of his voice caught her off guard and sent crazy flutterings racing through her blood until she shivered them out as goosebumps.

Nerves, that's all it was. Or maybe relief. She'd prepared herself to meet the loud, angry Ronan and she'd shored up her will to deal with that, to be on the defensive right from the get-go. But now . . . now she could relax a little, right?

Yeah, right. He might not be yelling, but suspicion lingered in his eyes, and if this was going to work, she'd need to find a way to get him to trust her. She needed all of them to trust her, to believe she was the one they could count on, the one who'd protect their interests while providing the network with a ratings winner. She needed to show the O'Donnells they had absolutely nothing to worry about.

Nothing except for the fact that she'd never been the one in charge before, she'd never done this on her own, and one wrong move would no doubt bring the whole show to a screeching halt, putting herself, Kevin, and Chuck out of work.

But other than that . . . yeah . . . no worries.

"Thanks," she said, pushing what she hoped looked like a bright, confident smile. "Good to meet you, too."

She tucked the straps of her bag high on up on her shoulder, then set in to help off-load the rest of the bags and equipment. Once everything was stacked on the dock, the pilot didn't hang around; he just locked up the hold, climbed back inside the cockpit, and waved as Kevin untied the plane and shoved it away from the dock.

It took a bit of juggling, but once they'd stored some of the gear on Finn's boat and everyone was loaded down with the rest of the bags, Liam led them all up the dock toward the lodge. Kevin walked next to him, followed by Finn and Chuck, which left Hope to pull up the rear with Ronan.

"Here." Shifting the bags he already had, he reached for one of hers, but Hope shook her head.

"It's okay," she said. "I got it. Thanks."

The bags were freakin' heavy, and the drizzle was making the hard-plastic handles slippery, but she needed Ronan and everyone else at the Buoys to believe she was fully capable, not some ridiculous delicate flower who couldn't handle things. And while the rational side of her brain knew that carrying bags had absolutely nothing to do with how well she did her job, it was the principle of the matter.

So onward she trudged, and even though the rest of them were already well ahead, Ronan stayed with her, walking in silence, and looking very much as if he'd rather be getting his chest waxed. It couldn't have been more than a couple of hundred meters from the dock to the stairs, but it felt like miles, especially with neither of them saying anything.

Come on, Hope. You've read everything there is to read on this place-you know its specs, you know its history, you even know how many fish they caught last season. Say something! Anything. Talk about the weather, for God's sake.

"Did you know that Texas horned toads can shoot blood out of the corners of their eyes?"

Not having read the previous books in this romantic second chance series, I had no problem falling for each of the O'Donnell brothers. I also admire and respect the women who end up sharing their lives and keep the Buoys running smoothly. Well, as smoothly as any family owned business can run.This is not just a man/woman love story. This is all about family and life's unexpected turns and turbulence.

Hope has been given more than her share of obstacles and difficulties in life but seems to hang on to a sense of optimism. She works hard for her dreams. When she first experiences an enraged Ronan in a video conference, she is unprepared for the feelings that are generated. Ronan, upon first sight of Hope as she lands on his island, is even less prepared.

The first quarter of the book is that wonderful feeling of anticipation leading up to all the possibilities for what could happen. Don't expect smooth sailing when they finally admit they have mutual attraction. Storm clouds literally move in at what seems the worst possible moment.

If you are a fan of reality tv shows, if you like a series that focuses on a different member of a group in each book, but all are represented in each, if you respect strong women who are not afraid to take chances, then you will appreciate this series. Even more so if you like your ruggedly handsome, gruff, manly men with a sense of humor and a reserved softer side.

Author Bio

USA Today bestselling author LAURA DREWRY started out writing poetry - unbelievably bad poetry - which hopefully will never again see the light of day. With that behind her, she now writes contemporary and historical romance novels with characters who aren't perfect, who aren't always nice, and who tend to be a little (or a lot) on the sarcastic side. Born and raised in British Columbia, Laura spent eight years in the Canadian north where she learned important life lessons like how to get your bananas from the grocery store to your car without them freezing and turning black in the -40C temperatures. She now lives back home in southwestern BC with her husband, three sons, a turtle, two crazy dogs, a handful of chickens, and about thirty thousand bees. She loves old tattered books, movies, music, the New York Yankees, and cheesecake. Lots of cheesecake.

Monday, February 27, 2017

From New York Times bestseller Katy Regnery comes a new twist on a beloved fairytale.

In this modern retelling of The Little Mermaid, a fisherman's daughter from an Outer Banks island untouched by time, meets the son of the North Carolina governor at a fancy party she helps to cater.

Laire, who wants more from life than her little island can offer, is swept away by wealthy, sophisticated Erik, who is, in turn, entranced by her naiveté and charm. The two spend a whirlwind summer together that ends on the knife-point of heartbreak and forces them to go their separate ways.

Years later, when fate finds them together once again, they will discover the terrifying depth of the secrets they kept from each other, and learn that shattered hearts can only be healed by a love that willfully refuses to die.

All novels Katy Regnery’s ~a modern fairytale~ collection are written as fundraisers. 10% of the e-book sales for in March and April 2017 will be donated.

Don't Speak is part of the ~a modern fairytale~ collection, which includes six standalone, completely unrelated novels inspired by beloved fairy tales:

The Vixen and the Vet (Beauty & the Beast) - available now (FREE!) Never Let You Go (Hansel & Gretel) - available now Ginger's Heart (Little Red Riding Hood) - available now Dark Sexy Knight (Camelot) - available now (99c!) Don't Speak (The Little Mermaid) – new release Swan Song (The Ugly Duckling) - available late-2017

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Regnery started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract and Katy’s first novel was published in September 2013.

Twenty-five books later, Katy claims authorship of the multi-titled, New York Times and USA Today Blueberry Lane Series, which follows the English, Winslow, Rousseau, Story, and Ambler families of Philadelphia; the six-book, bestselling ~a modern fairytale~ series; and several other standalone novels and novellas.

Katy’s first modern fairytale romance, The Vixen and the Vet, was nominated for a RITA® in 2015 and won the 2015 Kindle Book Award for romance. Katy’s boxed set, The English Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1–4, hit the USA Today bestseller list in 2015, and her Christmas story, Marrying Mr. English, appeared on the list a week later. In May 2016, Katy’s Blueberry Lane collection, The Winslow Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1-4, became a New York Times E-book bestseller.

In 2016, Katy signed a print-only agreement with Spencerhill Press. As a result, her Blueberry Lane paperback books will now be distributed to brick and mortar bookstores all over the United States.

Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, two dogs, and one Blue Tonkinese kitten create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home.

Only a handful of people know that Emma Lee Raines, proprietor of a small-town Kentucky funeral home, is a “Betweener.” She helps ghosts stuck between here and the ever-after—murdered ghosts. Once Emma Lee gets them justice they can cross over to the great beyond.

But Emma Lee’s own sister refuses to believe in her special ability. In fact, the Raines sisters have barely gotten along since Charlotte Rae left the family business for the competition. After a doozy of an argument, Emma Lee is relieved to see Charlotte Rae back home to make nice. Until she realizes her usually snorting, sarcastic, family-ditching sister is a . . . ghost.

Charlotte Rae has no earthly idea who murdered her or why. With her heart in tatters, Emma Lee relies more than ever on her sexy beau, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross…because this time, catching a killer means the Raines sisters will have to make peace with each other firs

“Y’all a new client here at Hardgrove’s?” The
security guard gave me and Granny the once-over after he moseyed up to us.

“No.” I pointed to our car, a hearse, which
should’ve been a pretty good indicator to him that we were in the same
business. “I’m Charlotte’s sister and this here is our granny. We are from
Sleepy Hollow.”

“Burns?” he questioned.

“Why, I never,” Granny gasped and glared. “Do we
look like we come from them good-for-nothin’ . . .”

“Eternal Slumber,” I chirped up and cut Granny off.
“Have a nice day. Get into the car, Granny.” My brows lifted.

“I knew I should’ve drove the ’ped.” Granny referred
to the moped she drove around town. She huffed, got in the car and slammed the
door.

I looked at the security guard and rolled my eyes so
hard that I thought I hurt myself.

“Oh my stars.” Granny buckled up. “That was a sight
for sore eyes.”

I started the engine and pretended to adjust the
rearview mirror when I was really looking back at Charlotte. It was good
southern manners to stand outside and wave bye as someone pulled off in their
car, but bad luck to watch them completely drive off. When we were almost out
of sight, Charlotte stomped her feet and hurried back into Hardgrove’s.

“I’m a little disappointed in how she reacted to
that nasty woman.” Granny sat poised with her hands in her lap. “She should’ve
told her that there were a few funerals being held and the flowers would be
removed way before the wedding.” Granny lifted her hand and nervously tapped
her finger on the door handle. “Who on earth ever heard of opening a place like
that?”

“Really?” I gripped the wheel, turning on the road
that took us right back home to Sleepy Hollow where we belonged. “The fact that
she hasn’t signed the paperwork should be what you can’t believe. I mean, she’s
working illegally for Gina Marie.”

“Pish-posh.” Granny brushed me off. “She’s not happy
there. I can see it in her eyes. It’s just a matter of time before she comes
back to Eternal Slumber. Mark my words, that is why she hasn’t signed those
papers.”

And that was my fear.

Continuing on where the previous book in this series left off, Emma Lee finds her ability to talk to the dead hits too close to home.
This time her "Betweener" client is her sister, Charlotte Rae.

Charlotte Rae had left the family funeral home to go work for the competition.
She never believed in Emma Lee's "ability" until she became a Betweener herself.
Not only is this a well written mystery but also an exciting, dangerous adventure.
Will Emma Lee be joining her sister on the other side?

With humor as well as compassion, we read about Granny's reaction to losing a granddaughter.
In the previous novel, Emma Lee learned more about her class mate, Jade, after her murder.
This time, the sisters find out they could have made better use of their years together.

You can read this as a stand alone but you will enjoy each book in this series.
I appreciate watching the characters grow and their relationships develop.

For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans. Be sure to check out Tonya’s website for upcoming events and news and to sign up for her newsletter! Tonyakappes.com